Te Ao Māori

The Sampling: Taniwha

We’re sharing a glimpse at Gavin Bishop’s newest epic work, ‘a monster-sized book about the mythical monsters of Aotearoa’! Taniwha was launched last week, and explores pūrākau and stories of taniwha from all around Aotearoa. TaniwhaGavin BishopPenguin$40.00Buy now

Review: The critter collection

Katherine Hurst reviews new books on wētāpunga (wētā as big as mice!) and the range of insects that call Aotearoa home. Wētā are famous for being big, and wētāpunga are the biggest of them all—some are heavier than a mouse!…

Interview: Elizabeth Gray on the Whakapapa of Sound

A dream to hear the sound of taonga pūoro and te reo Māori normalised in households set Elizabeth Gray on a path to becoming a debut author. Elizabeth Gray (Ngāti Rēhia, Ngāti Uepōhatu, Tama Ūpoko ki te awa o Wanganui,…

Review: Lisa Carrington Chases a Champion

Dame Lisa Carrington has released new picture books in te reo Māōri and te reo Pākehā that seek to inspire children to work hard to meet their goals. Tia Haira reviews the English edition here. This story is about the…

Te Arotakenga: Ko Lisa Carrington Me Te Toa Whakaihuwaka

Kua pāpāhotia a Dame Lisa Carrington ētahi pukapuka pikitia hou i roto i te reo Māori me te reo pākeha anō hoki hei whai, hei whakahihiko i ngā tamariki kia whakapau werawera kia tutuki i o rātou whāinga. Ānei te…

Review: Aotearoa YA that rivals The Hunger Games

Steph Matuku’s latest YA novel grapples with themes of enforced migration, loss, societal expectations, and coloniser violence. Ceridwyn Roberts describes it as ‘unputdownable’, a match for The Hunger Games, and better than other series. I always hesitate to call a…

Reviews: Two New Junior Fiction Titles

Leila Austin joins two cousins with magical powers and their nana on their latest adventures dealing with floods, giant crabs and a furious fire goddess. Pipi and Pou and the Waves of Destruction (Pipi and Pou #5) and Pipi and…

Reviews: New Matariki Books

Ariana Stewart reviews four Matariki pukapuka (see her reviews also in te reo Māori) and Linda Jane Keegan reviews two more. Ko Ngā Whetū Kai o Matariki: Tupuānuku rāua Ko Tupuārangi (The Kai Stars of Matariki: Tupuānuku and Tupuārangi), written…

Ngā Arotakenga: Pukapuka Matariki

Whā arotakenga o ngā pukapuka Matariki, nā Ariana Stewart. These reviews will be available in reo Pākekā/English here. Ko Ngā Whetū Kai o Matariki: Tupuānuku rāua Ko Tupuārangi, nā Miriama Kamo rāua ko Zak Waipara, nā Ariana Stevens ngā kōrerō…